Melvin Ormond Hammond

Melvin Ormond Hammond (17 July 1876 – 11 October 1934), known professionally as M. O. Hammond, was a Canadian journalist, photographer, and author.

Life

M. O. Hammond was born in Clarkson, Ontario (now part of Mississauga) the only son of Alvin and Catharine (Nauman) Hammond. His parents were farmers, and young Melvin had to help out with the daily chores besides going to school, first in Clarkson, then in Oakville, Ontario. He first ventured into journalism at the age of 14, when he became a correspondent for the ''Oakville Star''. Three years later, he moved to Toronto, where he got a position with the ''Toronto Globe''. He started out as the secretary of the managing editor but soon became a general reporter, and shortly afterwards was posted as a political reporter at Queen's Park, the seat of the government of Ontario.

In 1900, he married Clara Williams, a Methodist minister's daughter; together, they had a son, Harold James (b. 1901) and a daughter, Helen Isabel (b. 1909). From 1903 to 1906, Hammond was sent to Ottawa, reporting for the ''Globe'' from Parliament Hill. After his return to Toronto, he worked in various editorial positions at the ''Globe'' until his death in autumn 1934.

Work

Besides his interests in politics, his different positions at the ''Globe'' permitted him to also satisfy his interests in Canadian history and culture. As arts editor of the ''Globe'', he wrote on, promoted, and came to know many Canadian artists and writers of his time.

Although Hammond was a successful journalist, his work as a photographer has proved of more lasting value. He recognized the value of photography early on, and documented his travels extensively. As a member of the Toronto Camera Club, he had been exhibiting his photographic works regularly at various exhibitions, including the Canadian National Exhibition. Hammond illustrated many of his newspaper articles with his own photographs. Over the years, he acquired a reputation as a skilled portrait photographer, and through his memberships in the Toronto Camera Club and the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto also had the opportunity to photograph many famous artists of his time.

Beyond journalism and photography, Hammond also wrote three books:
* ''Confederation and Its Leaders'', Toronto, McClelland, Goodchild and Stewart, 1917; a book containing political biographies
* ''Canadian Footprints: A Study in Foregrounds and Backgrounds'', Toronto, MacMillan, 1926; a book on the theory of photography
* ''Painting and Sculpture in Canada'', Toronto, The Ryerson Press, 1931

See also

* Newton MacTavish, another journalist and photographer from Toronto
* Centennial of the City of Toronto, 1934, of which Hammond was on the Pictures Committee.
* A photo gallery of images taken by M. O. Hammond.

File:Baseball game, Don Valley (I0001125).tif, Baseball game, Don Valley, Toronto, 1923
File:Champlain Market (I0040614).jpg, Champlain Market, a. 1905File:Children on beach in Port Dover (I0000950).tif, Children on the beach, Port Dover, 1910
File:Chinatown, Vancouver, British Columbia (I0001689).tif, Chinatown, Vancouver, British Columbia, 1927
File:Group of girls, Oakville Fair (I0000740).tif, Group of girts, Oakville Fair, October, 1908
File:Horsedrawn sleigh on Rideau Street, Ottawa, in front of M. Bilsky and Son store (I0000913).tif, Horsedrawn sleigh on Rideau Street, Ottawa, in front of M. Bilsky and Son store, February 5, 1910
File:S.S. Delaware, Buffalo harbour (I0001657).tif, S.S. Delaware, Buffalo harbour, Buffalo, N.Y., 1927

References

Illustrated biographyBiographical sketch

External links

*
Exhibition of Hammond's photographsM. O. Hammond fonds
Archives of Ontario

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hammond, Melvin Ormond
1876 births
1934 deaths
Artists from Ontario
Canadian male journalists
Canadian photographers
Journalists from Ontario
People from Mississauga